here lies two poems by Jessica Minyard
tw: intimate partner abuse, mentions of alcohol and sex, body image issues
SOFT-SPOKEN
I’m sorry I let him chisel away at you,
until there was nothing left
but a pile of disconnected
pieces.
A jigsaw puzzle that should’ve known better
I’m sorry I let him hunt you,
before you grew fangs
and claws
and a poisoned tongue
and a barbed wall
to defend your soft heart.
A rabbit unaware that she was prey
tw: intimate partner abuse, mentions of alcohol and sex, body image issues
PINK LUST
the first time
two boys
they say it’s supposed to hurt
it didn’t
the construct of virginity was already well-torn
by age, by time, by fumbling experimental fingers, by hot mouths
you were shaved down to the core like a pre-pubescent girl
heaven-forbid they find out you’re a grown-ass woman
everything but the shirt came off
a shield to hide any hint of swaying breasts or globe-round belly
heaven-forbid they find out you’re fat
you didn’t feel like a virgin anymore
nothing to save
nothing to take
nothing to give
A writer with a day job, Jessica Minyard currently lives in Kentucky with her family. She has an MFA from Lindenwood University and her short fiction and poetry has appeared in Flash Fiction Magazine, Slink Chunk Press, Capulet Magazine, Vamp Cat Magazine, and is forthcoming in Kaleidotrope.